"Nova Totius Americae Descriptio", Wit, Frederick de

Subject: Western Hemisphere - America

Period: 1666 (circa)

Publication:

Color: Hand Color

Size:

21.8 x 17.3 inches55.4 x 43.9 cm

An uncommon and splendid carte-a-figures map of the Americas. The map combines many different sources including the Luke Foxe model of the island of California. The only hint of the Great Lakes is a small L. Contenant at the end of the St. Lawrence River. Nieu Neder Land occupies the eastern seaboard and there is no mention of any English settlement other than the name Virginia. In South America a large river and lake system provides the boundary of Brazil, with the mythical lake Eupana Lacus. A second mythical lake, Parime Lacus, is shown along the equator. The decorations were taken from van den Keere's map of 1614. The figures at sides depict the natives of Virginia, Magellanica, and Brazil, and the cities across the top include Cusco, Mexico, Olinda, Havana, S. Dominique, and Cartegena. The map is further embellished with a title cartouche bearing a native Indian mounted on an armadillo, and Neptune frolicking in the Pacific with mermaids and sea horses. This is the second state of this separately issued map, with the date erased from the title.

References: Burden #356; McLaughlin #24; Tooley (America) #18.

Condition: A

A nice impression with a small spot of printer's ink residue east of Brazil, and expert repairs to numerous small chips and tears confined to blank margins.

Estimate: $4,750 - $6,000

Sold for: $3,500

Closed on 6/12/2013

Archived

About Us

Old World Auctions specializes in genuine antique maps, atlases and decorative graphics originating between the 14th and 19th centuries.